Latest news with #DiSarno
Irish Daily Mirror
13 hours ago
- Health
- Irish Daily Mirror
Man dies after eating broccoli sandwich as health officials launch major recall
A man has died and nine other people have been hospitalised in Italy after they ate a sandwich which contained 'contaminated' broccoli, with a mass recall now underway. Artist and musician Luigi Di Sarno, 52, collapsed and couldn't be saved after buying a broccoli and sausage sandwich from food truck on the Diamante seafront in the province of Cosenza. The other victims, said to include two teenagers, were all taken to the intensive care unit of Annunziata Hospital in the town. Those needing treatment are understood to include members of tragic Mr Di Sarno's family, with two of the patients reportedly still in a very serious condition. It comes amid a growing botulism outbreak caused by the toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria, Mirror UK reports. There are as-yet unconfirmed reports that a 38-year-old woman has died after she ate a taco with guacamole at a kiosk at the festival in the Cagliari. The country is on high alert after the Paola Public Prosecutor's Office demanding an 'immediate seizure of a commercial product'. Calabria Region's Department of Health and Welfare said: "The emergency procedure established in these cases has been activated, which requires immediate notification to the Poison Control Center in Pavia, the only national centre designated for the management of botulism. "No region or hospital in the country is authorised to store the antivenom in their own facilities. This serum, however, is exclusively available to the Ministry of Health, which holds it in designated secure locations and distributes it only through the Lombardy Poison Control Centre. "The first two vials, used for the first patients, were sent directly from the Military Pharmacy in Taranto. However, as the number of cases increased, additional supplies became necessary. "Yesterday, the Calabria Region, through Azienda Zero, provided a 118 aircraft that flew to the San Camillo Hospital in Rome, where the ministry had centralised additional vials of the antivenom to facilitate distribution." A friend of Mr Di Sarno paid tribute to him on social media. They wrote: "The world loses once again a beautiful person, leaving a void in all those who truly cared for him. We had rare encounters in recent times but mutual respect never waned, we had a beer pending and many stories to share. It will be for another world, rest in peace!" The infected broccoli comes days after eight people are said to have fell ill with botulism after eating infected guacamole at a festival in Sardinia late last month. A boy, 11, remains in intensive care at the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome after being rushed by helicopter from Cagliari. The mayor of Diamante, Achille Ordine, asks not to 'create panic' following the outbreak as the Public Prosecutor's Office of Paola investigating. The ASP of Cosenza has placed a health block on the activity 'as a precautionary measure'. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
News18
17 hours ago
- Health
- News18
In Italy, Musician Dies After Eating Broccoli Sandwich; Botulism Outbreak Suspected
Last Updated: A rare outbreak could emerge from Italy's street food scene after a musician died and nine were hospitalised for eating broccoli and sausage sandwiches from a vendor. Italy stands on high alert over a suspected botulism outbreak following the death of a musician after he had a broccoli sandwich. Local authorities have issued a nationwide recall of broccoli over the passing of Luigi Di Sarno, a 52-year-old artist and musician, who became the victim of the rare outbreak linked to a street food vendor, for which nine others were hospitalised. Did The Musician Really Die Of Eating Broccoli? Yes. According to a report in the London Evening Standard, Di Sarno, a 52-year-old musician from Cercola in the province of Naples, died of the outbreak associated with eating a contaminated broccoli and sausage sandwich while he was travelling back home from a holiday with his family. The tragedy occurred on Thursday, August 7, when Di Sarno stopped by at a food truck on the seafront in Diamante, Cosenza province, with his family. They ordered broccoli and sausage sandwiches. Soon after resuming their journey, Di Sarno fell sick while driving on the highway near Lagonegro in Potenza. The musician had to pull over in the town of Basilicata and emergency medical services were called. However, Di Sarno died even before he could be taken to the hospital. Nine other people were hospitalised after eating from the same vendor, whose cart could be the centre of a major outbreak. The list included Di Sarno's family members, among whom were two teenagers and two women in their 40s. All had to be put in the ICU at Annunziata Hospital in Cosenza. The musician's death occurred not long after eight people were hospitalised in Sardinia following botulism cases associated with guacamole served at a Mexican food stand. That incident took place during the Fiesta Latin festival between 22 and 25 July in Monserrato. According to medical experts, Botulism is a condition caused by toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria that can develop in improperly processed foods. The disease directly attacks the nervous system, leading to breathing challenges and muscle paralysis. 'Foodborne botulism can happen by eating foods that have been contaminated with botulinum toxin. Common sources… are homemade foods that have been improperly canned, preserved or fermented," said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 'Though uncommon, store-bought foods also can be contaminated with botulinum toxin." view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Musician dies after eating broccoli sandwich amid deadly outbreak, Italy on alert
Authorities in Italy have issued a nationwide recall of broccoli after a man died and nine others were hospitalised in a suspected botulism outbreak linked to a street food vendor. The victim, 52-year-old artist and musician Luigi Di Sarno, is believed to have eaten a contaminated broccoli and sausage sandwich while travelling home from holiday with his family. A musician in Italy died after eating a sandwich from a food van (Representational image) Who was the victim? Luigi Di Sarno, 52, was an artist and musician from Cercola in the province of Naples. He had been returning from a family holiday in Calabria when the tragedy occurred, according to a report in London Evening Standard. How and when did the death occur? On Thursday, Di Sarno stopped with his family at a food truck on the seafront in Diamante, Cosenza province, where they ordered broccoli and sausage sandwiches. Shortly after resuming their journey, while driving on the highway near Lagonegro in Potenza, he suddenly fell ill and was forced to pull over in the town of Basilicata. Emergency services rushed to the scene, but Di Sarno died before reaching hospital. Who else fell ill? Nine other people, including members of Di Sarno's family, two teenagers and two women in their 40s, were hospitalised after eating from the same vendor. All were taken to the intensive care unit at Annunziata Hospital in Cosenza, with two patients reported to be in a serious condition. Is this part of a wider outbreak? Most likely. The incident comes just weeks after eight people were hospitalised in Sardinia following botulism cases linked to guacamole served at a Mexican food stand during the Fiesta Latin festival in Monserrato between 22 and 25 July. A 38-year-old woman died after eating tacos with guacamole at a Cagliari festival, and an 11-year-old boy was flown to Rome for treatment, according to The Mirror. What is botulism? Botulism is caused by toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria, which can develop in improperly processed foods. It attacks the nervous system, causing breathing difficulties, muscle paralysis, and can be fatal in around 10 per cent of cases. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 'Foodborne botulism can happen by eating foods that have been contaminated with botulinum toxin. Common sources… are homemade foods that have been improperly canned, preserved or fermented. Though uncommon, store-bought foods also can be contaminated with botulinum toxin.'
Metro
a day ago
- Health
- Metro
Artist, 52, struck down by killer broccoli as 9 rushed to hospital
One person has died and nine people were rushed to hospital after an outbreak of botulism in broccoli. Musician Luigi Di Sarno, 52, collapsed and died after buying a broccoli and sausage sandwich from a kiosk in Diamante, Calabria in southern Italy. Patients being treated in intensive care at the Annunziata hospital in Cosenza include two 17-year-olds and two women in their 40s. Di Sarno was driving back to his home in Napoli when he began to feel unwell. He ended up stopping in Lagonegro in Potenza province, where he sadly passed away. Local health authorities have activated emergency measures after the botulism outbreak was tracked to a shipment of jarred broccoli in oil. Cases of the rare and life-threatening disease were found in other Italian regions. Botulism is a rare and sometimes life-threatening disease caused by toxins produced by the clostridium botulinum bacteria. Historically contracted due to improperly canned food, the toxins attack the nervous system, leading to muscle paralysis. More recently in the UK, patients were diagnosed with botulism linked to unlicensed anti-wrinkle injections. Symptoms include blurred vision, fatigue and difficulties breathing. Around 5 to 10 per cent of cases are fatal, according to the NHS. Because a majority of doctors have never encountered it, initial misdiagnosis is not uncommon. It came as Roberta Pitzalis, 38, died from complications after eating a guacamole from a stand at a gastronomic festival in Cagliari, Sardinia. According to La Repubblica, her condition had appeared to stabilise before she suddenly deteriorated. More Trending An 11-year-old boy who also attended the Monserrato Latina festival and had eaten a taco with guacamole, was transferred by helicopter to Rome's Gemelli hospital. He remains in a stable condition but has yet to make a recovery. Authorities in Cagliari have launched an investigation into the outbreak. Experts are advising people to exercise caution when buying risky foods and avoid eating canned or jarred products where the safety button has popped up, indicating the container has not been properly sealed. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Baby's one in 1,000,000 condition was diagnosed after a comment about his head MORE: World's longest suspension bridge gets go-ahead linking Italy and Sicily MORE: Exact time of 'one of the biggest emergency drills in UK history' revealed
Time of India
a day ago
- Health
- Time of India
Deadly botulism outbreak due to broccoli in Italy leaves one dead, nine hospitalized — what to know
A fatal case of suspected botulism has sparked a nationwide broccoli recall in Italy after a man died and nine others were hospitalized following meals from the same food truck. Authorities say the outbreak, traced to broccoli in oil used in sandwiches, has raised urgent food safety concerns and triggered seizures of contaminated products. Local media report that the victim, 52-year-old artist and musician Luigi Di Sarno, was on holiday with his family in Calabria when he purchased a broccoli and sausage sandwich from a vendor on the Diamante seafront in Cosenza province. Soon after eating, Di Sarno fell severely ill while driving home and died before reaching the hospital on Thursday. His family, two women in their 40s and two 17-year-olds, also became sick and required emergency treatment at Annunziata Hospital in Cosenza. Medical staff told reporters the patients showed signs consistent with botulism, a rare but potentially deadly illness caused by toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. Two of Di Sarno's relatives were in serious condition upon arrival at the intensive care unit, according to hospital sources. The Paola Public Prosecutor's Office has ordered the seizure of broccoli jars in oil and impounded the food truck linked to the outbreak. An autopsy is being finalized to determine the exact cause of death, but local outlets report botulism is strongly suspected. Second suspected botulism outbreak in Italy The tragedy comes just days after a separate botulism scare in Sardinia, where eight people were hospitalized after consuming guacamole from a Mexican food stand at Fiesta Latina, held in Monserrato between July 22 and 25. Local authorities believe the dip may have been contaminated with the same toxin. To respond to both incidents, health officials have flown in vials of antitoxin serum to treat patients. They said, "No region or hospital in the country is authorised to store the antivenom in their own facilities. This serum, however, is exclusively available to the Ministry of Health, which holds it in designated secure locations and distributes it only through the Lombardy Poison Control Centre." Authorities continue to investigate both outbreaks while urging consumers to avoid eating recalled broccoli products. What is botulism? Botulism is a rare yet dangerous illness caused by a toxin that targets the body's nerves and can lead to life-threatening complications. The toxin is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. It can develop from contaminated food, infected wounds, or, in infants, when bacterial spores grow in the intestines. Sometimes, botulism can occur when excessive amounts of botulinum toxin are injected for cosmetic or medical purposes. This uncommon type is known as iatrogenic botulism, with 'iatrogenic' referring to a condition caused by medical treatment or examination. The symptoms of foodborne botulism include Trouble swallowing or speaking, dry mouth, facial weakness on both sides of the face, blurred or double vision, drooping eyelids, trouble breathing, nausea, vomiting, and paralysis.
